A spider infestation can be described as an unusual number of spiders in a space (home or workplace). Since spiders are considered creepy insects, and they can be a health hazard (i.e. for poisonous spiders like black widow spiders), it’s clearly important to find out if you really have a spider problem. 

Having a few spiders isn’t a cause for alarm. In fact, spiders feed on harmful insects like ticks and fleas, making their presence advantageous to this extent. However, you should be worried when you start seeing too many.

How to Know If You Have a Spider Infestation?

There are several ways to know if your home or workplace is infested with spiders. The most common signs include, but aren’t limited to; 

1. An Upsurge in the Number of Live and Dead Spiders

As mentioned, seeing a spider or two in your home is normal. However, if you start seeing many spiders too frequently, you already have a spider infestation. An infestation is usually characterized by many spiders of the same type (i.e., common house spiders, black widows, garden spiders, hobo spiders, grass spiders, cellar spiders, yellow sac spiders, wolf spiders, brown recluse spiders, etc.), so pay attention to the spiders you see. However, the infestation could also involve many species of spiders, which is a more serious problem.

2. Numerous Spider Webs and Spider Eggs

The absence of spiders doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have an infestation. The spider nests and eggs may be underground or in crawl spaces. Having many spider webs without necessarily noticing an upsurge in spiders is usually an early sign of an infestation. If you see spider webs and an upsurge in the number of live and dead spiders around your home or workplace, you are dealing with an advanced infestation.

Most importantly, the webs don’t necessarily have to contain spiders. In terms of the webs,  they can have the usual cob-like design or can also have a more intricate one. It may be a sign of alarm if you find both intricate web designs as well as many different types of webs as it would mean that you’re dealing with an infestation involving multiple spider species.

3. Unexplained Bites

Spiders are elusive. They love building webs out of sight and are more active at night. These factors may reduce encounters with humans. However, spiders can be making contact with you/your family while you are asleep.

If you have unexplained bite marks on your skin, they may be from spiders. While spiders prefer eating insects and not humans, that doesn’t mean they won’t bite when they come across you at night. Spider bites look red and inflamed and may be accompanied by itchiness and/or a painful bump on the skin.

Can You Prevent a Spider Infestation?

You can stop spiders from invading your property through DIY natural remedies like planting spider-repellent plants like mint, lavender, and lemon balm around your property.

Other simple remedies like pouring white vinegar (known spider repellant) around your property and keeping your home tidy and clean can also prevent spider infestation. However, these measures won’t work if you already have a spider infestation.

What to Do If You Have a Spider Infestation?

A DIY (do-it-yourself) approach will not get to the root cause of the infestation. Remedies like sticky spider traps, spider spray, or insecticide aren’t effective for infestations. You also risk making the infestation worse (as different types of spiders may require different tactics.) Your health can also be compromised if you are bitten by spiders or when using pesticides. It is, therefore, advisable to seek help from pest control professionals.

If you see signs of spiders in your Miami home or workplace, contact us at Shoreline Pest Services, we are a pest control company in Miami that has over 25 years of experience dealing with spider infestations and other insect and pest infestations since 1997. You can click here to schedule an appointment online. You can also call us at 561-842-4700 or email us at [email protected] to talk to a pest control specialist.

New clients enjoy discounted services ($25 off) from an award-winning, affordable, fast, and friendly Palm Beach pest control company.